IPC-SM-840D

ASSOCIATION CONNECTING
ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES

Qualification and
Performance Specification
of Permanent Solder Mask

Developed by the Solder Mask Performance Task Group (5-33b) of the

Cleaning and Coating Committee (5-30) of IPC

Supersedes: Users of this publication are encouraged to participate in the

IPC-SM-840C - development of future revisions.
Amendment 1 - June 2000
IPC-SM-840C - January 1995 Contact:
IPC-SM-840B - May 1988
IPC-SM-840A - July 1983 IPC
IPC-SM-840 - November 1977 3000 Lakeside Drive, Suite 309S
Bannockburn, Illinois
60015-1249
Tel 847 615.7100
Fax 847 615.7105
April 2007 IPC-SM-840D

Table of Contents
1 SCOPE AND DESIGNATION .................................... 1
1.1 Scope ................................................................... 1
1.2 Purpose ................................................................ 1
1.3 Classes ................................................................ 1
1.4 Presentation ......................................................... 1
1.5 Terms and Definitions ........................................ 1
1.5.1 AABUS ............................................................... 2
1.5.2 Blistering ............................................................. 2
1.5.3 Chalking (Cured Solder Mask) .......................... 2
1.5.4
Color Change (Cured Solder Mask) .................. 2
1.5.5 CoC ..................................................................... 2
1.5.6 Crazing (Conformal or Solder Mask Coating ... 2
1.5.7 Delamination (Cured Solder Mask) ................... 2
1.5.8 FTIR .................................................................... 2
1.5.9 Liquefaction (Cured Solder Mask) .................... 2
1.5.10 Peeling (Cured Solder Mask) ............................. 2
1.5.11 SAC 305 ............................................................. 2
1.5.12 Softening (Cured Solder Mask) ......................... 2
1.5.13 Solder Mask ........................................................ 2
1.5.14 Swelling (Cured Solder Mask) .......................... 2
1.5.15 Tackiness ............................................................. 2
1.5.16 Wicking (Solder Mask) ...................................... 2
2 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS .................................... 2
2.1 IPC ...................................................................... 2
2.2 Underwriters Laboratories .................................. 3
2.3 ASTM ................................................................. 3
2.4 Precedence of Documents .................................. 3
3 REQUIREMENTS ...................................................... 3
3.1 Qualification/Conformance ................................. 3
3.1.1 Material Qualification and Conformance .......... 3
3.1.2 Printed Board Process Qualification and
Assessment .......................................................... 3
3.1.3 Requalification .................................................... 3
3.2 Materials ............................................................. 3
3.2.1 Formulation Change ........................................... 4
3.2.2 Compatibility ...................................................... 5
3.2.3 Shelf Life ............................................................ 5
3.2.4 Color ................................................................... 5
3.2.5 Cure ..................................................................... 5
3.2.6 Nonnutrient ......................................................... 5
3.3 Visual Requirements ........................................... 5
3.3.1 Appearance ......................................................... 5
3.3.2 Discoloration (Metallic Surfaces) ...................... 5
3.3.3 Discoloration (Solder Mask) .............................. 5
3.4 Dimensional Requirements ................................ 5
3.4.1 Solder Mask Thickness ...................................... 5
3.5 Physical Requirements ....................................... 5
3.5.1 Pencil Hardness .................................................. 5
3.5.2 Adhesion ............................................................. 6
3.5.3 Machinability ...................................................... 6
3.6 Chemical Requirements ...................................... 6
3.6.1 Resistance to Fabrication Solvents, Cleaning
Agents and Fluxes .............................................. 6
3.6.2 Hydrolytic Stability ............................................ 7
3.6.3 Flammability ....................................................... 7
3.7 Soldering Requirements ..................................... 7
3.7.1 Solderability ........................................................ 7
3.7.2 Resistance to Tin-Lead Solder ........................... 7
3.7.3 Resistance to Lead Free Solder ......................... 7
3.8 Electrical Requirements ...................................... 7
3.8.1 Dielectric Strength .............................................. 7
3.8.2 Insulation Resistance .......................................... 7
3.9 Environmental Requirements ............................. 7
3.9.1 Moisture and Insulation Resistance ................... 7
3.9.2 Electrochemical Migration ................................. 7
3.9.3 Thermal Shock .................................................... 8
4 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS .................... 8
4.1 Responsibility for Testing/Inspection ................. 8
4.1.1 Initial Qualification Testing ................................ 8
4.1.2 Test or Inspection Facilities ............................... 8
4.2 Qualification Inspection ...................................... 8
4.2.1 Sample Size ........................................................ 8
4.2.2 Inspection Routine .............................................. 8
4.2.3 Failures ................................................................ 8
4.3 Quality Conformance Testing/Inspection ........... 8
4.3.1 Testing/Inspection of Product for Delivery ....... 9
4.4 Preparation of Specimens for Test ..................... 9
4.4.1 Standard Laboratory Conditions ........................ 9
4.4.2 Specimen Selection .......................................... 10
4.4.3 Coating .............................................................. 11
4.4.4 Number ............................................................. 11

iii
IPC-SM-840D April 2007

5 PREPARATION OF SOLDER MASK MATERIAL Tables

FOR DELIVERY ....................................................... 11
Table 3-1 Requirements of Qualification ............................. 4
5.1 Preservation, Packaging and Packing .............. 11 Table 3-2 Adhesion to Rigid Printed Boards
(IPC-B-25A Test Board and/or Production
6 NOTES ..................................................................... 11 Printed Board) ..................................................... 6
6.1 Specifying Solder Mask on Printed Table 3-3 Moisture & Insulation Resistance ....................... 8
Boards ............................................................... 11 Table 3-4 Electrochemical Migration ................................... 8
6.2 Special Requirements ....................................... 11 Table 3-5 Thermal Shock Conditions .................................. 8
Table 4-1 Sample Requirements/Suggested Test
Sequence for Table 3-1, Column A
Figures IPC-B-25A Standard Test Boards ....................... 9
Table 4-2 Sample Requirements/Suggested Test
Figure 4-1 IPC-B-25A (Note: No solder mask shall
Sequence for Table 3-1, Column B
be applied to contact fingers) ......................... 11
IPC-B-25A Boards - Production Process
Figure 4-2 IPC-2221 Test Coupon E Layer 1 or Conformance Coupons or Production
(‘‘Y’’ Configuration) .......................................... 11 Printed Boards .................................................. 10

iv
April 2007
Qualification and Performance
Specification of Permanent Solder Mask
1 SCOPE AND DESIGNATION
1.1 Scope This specification shall define the criteria for
and method of obtaining the maximum information about
and confidence in cured permanent solder mask material
under evaluation with the minimum of test redundancy.
This specification shall establish the requirements for:
• The evaluation of solder mask materials.
• The conformance of solder mask material properties.
• The qualification of the solder mask via the appropriate
test substrate.
• The qualification assessment of the solder mask in con-
junction with the production printed board process.
1.2 Purpose This specification shall establish the
requirements, based on applicable test methods and condi-
tions, for the evaluation of a solder mask material and for
the determination of the acceptability of use on a standard
printed board system. These same requirements shall also
be used to qualify a printed board production process based
on conformance criteria defined by the reliability require-
ments of the end use environment. Acceptability and/or
verification criteria of the production printed board shall be
determined in accordance with the applicable performance
requirements contained in IPC-6011, IPC-6012, IPC-6013
and IPC-6018.
The solder mask materials described herein, when applied
to the printed board substrate shall prevent and/or mini-
mize the formation and adherence of solder balls, solder
bridging, solder build-up and physical damage to the
printed board substrate. The solder mask material shall
help retard electromigration and other forms of detrimental
or conductive growth.
NOTE: The determination of compatibility between
solder mask materials and post soldering products and
processes is beyond the scope of this specification. The
use of Test Methods specified herein to determine the
compatibility and the requirement to do so shall be as
agreed between user and supplier (AABUS).
This specification shall list the base requirements for sol-
der mask and solder mask production processes. The solder
mask shall be cured per the manufacturer’s recommended
process in accordance with those conditions specified for
that product. Additional requirements or deviations from
these requirements shall be AABUS.
IPC-SM-840D
1.3 Classes This specification provides two classes of
requirements, T and H, to reflect functional performance
requirements and testing severity based on industry/end use
requirements. Qualification to a particular class shall not
be extended to cover any other class.
Note: The reference of a single class does not preclude
invoking or allowing specific requirements defined in other
classes.
T – Telecommunication This includes computers, tele-
communication equipment, sophisticated business
machines, instruments, and certain noncritical military
applications. Solder mask on printed boards in this class is
suitable for high performance commercial and industrial
products in which extended performance life is required
but for which interrupted service is not life threatening.
H – High Reliability/Military This includes that equip-
ment where continued performance is critical, equipment
down-time cannot be tolerated and/or the equipment is a
life support item. Solder mask on printed boards of this
class is suitable for applications where high levels of assur-
ance are required and uninterrupted service is essential.
Notes:
• Class Designations – Previous versions of this and other
IPC specifications make reference to ‘‘Class 1,’’ ‘‘Class
2,’’ and ‘‘Class 3’’ end product classes. For all practical
purposes there is no Class 1 solder mask. The require-
ments in this specification are not applicable for solder
mask used in Class 1 end-product. Class 2 is equivalent
to Class T (Telecommunications). Class 3 is the equiva-
lent of Class H (Military/high reliability).
• Solder mask types were previously described as Type A
for screen imaged (liquid) or coverlay for flex (dry), and
type B for all types of photo defined solder mask (liquid
or dry film). A Type B1 solder mask was identified as a
liquid solder mask and a Type B2 solder mask was iden-
tified as a dry film solder mask.
1.4 Presentation Dimensions and tolerances shall be
expressed in metric units. English units are shown in brack-
ets [ ] and are not necessarily direct conversions or usable
numbers. Reference information is shown in parentheses
( ). Deviations to this shall be AABUS.
1.5 Terms and Definitions The definition of terms shall
be in accordance with IPC-T-50 and as stated in 1.5.1
through 1.5.16.